Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-07-08
The Liberal Leadey Delivers S1ros,
Philippe Against Coercion.

The Liberal Leadey Delivers n S1rosg
Philippe Against Coercion.
LONDON, July 7th.--In the House Of
Commons tonight, on a motion being
made for the third reading of the crimes
bill, Gladstone, amid prolonged cheers,
made counter-motion that the bill be
read the third time this day three months,
hence. Gladstone said the bill was the
Conservatives alternative to home rule, and
therefore bore different aspect from
any ordinary coercion bill. Old co.
ereion measures had been aimed
at crime only, but this new one,
passing beyond crime, aimed at societies.
[Cries of Hear hear r'1 Further, the
bill had been brought in without any
foundation, such as underlaid all former
coercion bills, based on the existence of
exceptional crime. Balfour has disre-
garded all precedents requiring that the in
PRODUCTION of coercion measure should
be prefaeed by a statement of exceptional
crimes. Gladstone maintained that the
increase of crime in 1856 over 1885.
IN view OF the agricultural dis
reSS IN Ireland, was exceedingly
small. Comparing the officials of the
Tory Government in power in Ireland in
1855 with those in power the first five
months in 1887, there was marked de-
crease IN the amount of agrarian crime.
yet in 1855 they had refraiued from intro
ducing coercion measures from motives of
policy A comparison of past and present
statistics afforded no shadow of iustifica-
ton for the present measure. Another
contrast was that the past Parliament had
been nearly unanimous in asserting to coer-
cion, while this bill was passed by large
majority OF the people of the country-a
majority that was not likely to diminish.
lCheers. If Parliament retained any re-
gard for the traditions of the country, or
party uses, the measure would be aban-
doned. What could they urge to warrant
such an invasion of a peoples liberties
While resenting the imputation that the
Liberals had done the same thing, he
would admit that past measures had been
failures. Among the differences between
the past and present was the extra
ordinary proposal of making the
Ficeroy master of the whole law and
of the rights of associations. In the
present century such proposal was
an outrage on every principle of public
duty. Moreover, new otfenses were created
under the measure. The Attorney Gen.
eral for Ireland had admitted. and it was
too late to deny, that the bill aimed at the
suppression of exclusive dealing that was
far more pardonable in the weak and poor
than in the rich and powerful, but it was
the exclusive dealings of the poor against
the strong at which the bill aimed. Ii a
new crime were created, a measure for its
suppression should operate impartially.
Gladstone spoke at great length, and
made one of his most powerful speeches.
THE GRAND OLD MAN AT HIS BEST.
LONDON, July 7th.-Gladstones speech
in the House of Commons tonight, though
inevitably travelling over the old ground,
was remarkably clear and lucid presenta--
ton of the argument against the coercion
bill. The style in which it was delivered
was catchingly animated, and at times the
wSole House was reused with enthusiasm.